SANTA BARBARA – The SBCC women's basketball team entered Monday's game against Ventura with a perfect mark in home conference games, but came up short of making it four straight wins in a 58-52 loss to the Pirates.
Santa Barbara is now 10-13 overall and 5-4 in WSC play. The Pirates improve to 12-10 overall and 7-1 in conference.
Forward Trinity Scott had her highest scoring total of the season, leading all players with 21 points. She also tied a season-high with five three-pointers, making 5-of-15 from range. It was her second 20-point game of the season, tied with guard Katrina Regalado for the most on the team.
Scott opened the game with a pair of treys in the first few minutes. Later in the opening period, guard Natalie Bautista knocked down a three of her own and Scott hit a pair of free throws, giving the Vaqueros their largest lead of the night, 17-11. The Pirates would end the quarter scoring six unanswered.
Things remained close midway through the second quarter. Guard Berlian Faiaipau's layup at the 5:45 mark gave SBCC a slim 23-21 advantage, but Ventura had another strong close to the quarter, ending the half on a 12-0 run to take a 33-23 lead into the break.
The second half began with another three-pointer from Scott and a traditional three-point play from Lia Rodriguez. Forward Asia Kirven and Regalado made shots in the paint and guard Brianna Jacobs tied it at 36-36 with 5:16 to go in the third.
Ventura made another run, taking a 47-39 lead early in the fourth, but SBCC fought its way back once more. Isabella Jensen Williams capped an 8-0 Vaquero run to tie it at 47-47 with 6:15 remaining.
Scott hit her last three of the night with 2:21 left, bringing SBCC within a point down 53-52. However, that would be the home side's final bucket. Still a one possession game in the final minute, Ventura's Sofia Torres-Reyes put in a dagger three with 30 seconds on the clock to give the Pirates a 58-52 lead which helped seal the win.
Kirven was SBCC's second-leading scorer with nine points (4/7 FG). Jensen Williams finished with six points and a team-high seven assists. Regalado had four points, three assists, and tied Scott for the team-lead with six boards.
The Vaqueros will play their next game this Saturday at home against Allan Hancock at 7:00 p.m. at the Sports Pavilion.
